Australia Disaster Warning

This post has been withheld to prevent Google and its partners making financial gains. —FIRE-EARTH

Related Links

• Back-to-back Australian Disasters

Liver Disease Killing 7,500 Australians Each Year

More than 6 million Australians have liver disease, mostly self-inflicted

More than a quarter of Australians suffer from liver disease, according to a report commissioned by the Australian Liver Association.

The most common form of the disease in Australia is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, affecting 5.5 million across the country. The next most common form is viral hepatitis, including B and C, which affects another 500,000 people.

• The cost to the economy is a “staggering” $51 billion a year.

• Obesity, drug and alcohol abuse are major risk factors.

• ”The majority of patients are also part of the obesity epidemic that we’re seeing in Australia,” said Australian Liver Association Chairwoman.

• ”While liver disease caused by the virus hepatitis C is the No.1 cause for a liver transplant, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease accounts for a much higher proportion of people with liver disease.”

Other Global Disaster/ Significant Events

Peru declares state of emergency in its rainforest

Government of Peru has declared a state of emergency in a part of its northern Amazon rainforest, after discovering high levels of barium, lead, chrome and petroleum-related compounds in the region, which is home to one of its biggest oil fields, said a report.

‘Abnormal heat’ sets record March temps in Australia

Australia’s 2013 summer was the hottest on record, said a report, and the period from October onwards is forecast to be the hottest since records began more than a century ago.

Blistering temperatures were reported across eastern Australia this week.

• Birdsville, Queensland broke a 101-year-old record, posting a high of 42.9ºC  and beating a previous high of 42.1ºC set at Longreach on 28 March 1912, the report said.

• Swan Hill, Victoria set a new late-season record at 38.8ºC and Fowlers Gap, NSW recorded 40.9ºC  ( Both records were previously set on March 29, 1986).

• Melbourne reported peak of 35.6ºC, the hottest this late in the season since the extreme heat of March 1940.

Massive bushfire in Australia destroys many homes

Australian authorities have issued two emergency warnings after a massive bushfire, which consumed 1,300 hectares and many homes,  descended on the 700-strong community of Dereel, west of Melbourne, prompting many residents fleeing for safety, said a report.

Related Links

• Back-to-back Australian Disasters

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DISASTER CALENDAR – March 27, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,081 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,081 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Most U.S. Rivers, Streams in Poor Condition for Aquatic Life

Thousands of stream and river miles across the country under ‘significant pressure’: EPA

In its first comprehensive survey looking at the health of thousands of stream and river miles across the country, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found more than half – 55 percent – in poor condition for aquatic life.

The 2008-2009 National Rivers and Stream Assessment reflects the most recent data available on the condition of the water resources, EPA said.

[Does that mean the significant degradations that have occurred in the past 5 years not yet taken into account? Moderator]

“The health of our Nation’s rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters depends on the vast network of streams where they begin, and this new science shows that America’s streams and rivers are under significant pressure,” said Office of Water Acting Assistant Administrator.

The data was collected by EPA, state and tribal researchers from about 2,000 sites across the country.

National Rivers and Stream Assessment. Biological condition of the nation’s rivers and streams, based on the Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index (EPA/NRSA).

Indicators Evaluated for NRSA

Biological Indicators

• Benthic macroinvertebrates
• Periphyton (algae)
• Fish community

Chemical Indicators

• Phosphorus
• Nitrogen
• Salinity
• Acidity

Physical Indicators

• Streambed sediments
• In­stream fish habitat
• Riparian vegetative cover
• Riparian disturbance

Human Health Indicators

• Enterococci (fecal indicator)
• Mercury in fish tissue

The following are excerpts from EPA report:

Runoff Contaminated by Fertilizers

• Nitrogen and phosphorus are at excessive levels. Twenty-seven percent of the nation’s rivers and streams have excessive levels of nitrogen, and 40 percent have high levels of phosphorus. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus in the water—known as nutrient pollution—causes significant increases in algae, which harms water quality, food resources and habitats, and decreases the oxygen that fish and other aquatic life need to survive. Nutrient pollution has impacted many streams, rivers, lakes, bays and coastal waters for the past several decades, resulting in serious environmental and human health issues, and impacting the economy.

Decreased Vegetation Cover and Increased Human Disturbance

• Streams and rivers are at an increased risk due to decreased vegetation cover and increased human disturbance. These conditions can cause streams and rivers to be more vulnerable to flooding, erosion, and pollution. Vegetation along rivers and streams slows the flow of rainwater so it does not erode stream banks, removes pollutants carried by rainwater and helps maintain water temperatures that support healthy streams for aquatic life. Approximately 24 percent of the rivers and streams monitored were rated poor due to the loss of healthy vegetative cover.

[Whopping] Increase in Bacteria Levels.

• Increased bacteria levels. High bacteria levels were found in nine percent of stream and river miles making those waters potentially unsafe for swimming and other recreation (samples exceed an enterococci threshold level for protecting human health.)

Increased Mercury Levels

• Increased mercury levels. More than 13,144 miles of river lengths (streams were not evaluated) have fish with mercury levels that may be unsafe for human consumption. For most people, the health risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern, but some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system.

NRSA Sample Sites

National Rivers and Stream Assessment Sample Sites.

Related Links

• Death by Lethal Pollution October 16, 2007
• Index of Human Impact on Nature

“Troubled Waters” by U.S. PRIG